The charging of wearable electronic devices can be cumbersome. In most cases, the wearable device must be removed from the user in order to charge the device, disrupting device usage. Wireless charging that is transparent to the user would be especially beneficial in such cases. Wireless charging typically utilizes a receive coil housed within the device to be charged. However, the receive coil for many body worn, portable electronic devices would need to be prohibitively large to ensure efficient power transfer. Smaller wearable electronic devices do not have the space to accommodate a large receive coil. Additionally, there are issues with efficiency and the amount of time a device will maintain a charge. For wearable devices that are used by public safety personnel working in the field, such as police officers, the device's ability to maintain a charge throughout a work shift is desirable so as not to have to return to a home base to replace or recharge the device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an improved apparatus, system and method for charging and/or powering a wearable electronic device. An approach that would allow charging while the device is being worn would be particularly beneficial.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.